Jeffrey Tambor Wins Emmy For ‘Transparent,’ Calls For More Roles For Trans Actors

Transparent actor Jeffrey Tambor took home the 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, where onstage he addressed the lack of opportunities for trans talents in film and television, an issue that has seen recent backlash over actors like Michelle Rodriguez and Matt Bomer playing trans characters.

While accepting his award, the Amazon star, who plays transgender woman Maura Pfefferman on the series, took pause to shine a light on the lack of diversity in Hollywood, particularly when it comes to roles for trans actors and actresses.

"I'm not going to say this beautifully but to you people out there, you producers and you network owners and you agents and you creative sparks: Please give transgender talent a chance," he pleaded. "Give them auditions, give them their story. Do that."

Tambor added that he "would not be unhappy if [he were] the last cisgender male [actor] to play a female transgender [person] on television."

"We have work to do," he concluded.

Transparent returns to Amazon for Season 3 on September 23. Watch his speech and see some reactions, below: